Implementing High-Quality Instructional Materials through Professional Learning
Intellectual Preparation Toolkit
High-quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) have been shown to dramatically improve student learning when implemented successfully, as one of the Five Conditions that Support Great Teaching. One of the keys to effective implementation of HQIM is supporting teachers to make the shift from lesson planning to intellectual preparation. To serve all students, instructors need opportunities to internalize the HQIM they will use to engage students.
The introduction of HQIM represents a shift in the role of the teacher: the work is no longer to find and piece together materials, but rather, to work through the texts, language demands, questions, and tasks of a lesson to uncover the highest leverage sequence and instructional moves. This toolkit contains several resources for teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders to use to support teachers in the shift from lesson planning to intellectual preparation.
Continuous Improvement
Workouts for Continuous Improvement
The goal of Impact Florida’s Workouts is to help teams strengthen their continuous improvement muscles by making these practices easier to pick up and implement in any education leadership role, from instructional coaches in a Professional Learning Community to Chief Academic Officers with their teams. The workouts take 90 minutes or less to complete, and are designed to stand alone or work as an iterative process from beginning to end of an implementation effort. The workouts are self-facilitated activities that help guide teams to strengthen their use of data and build a culture of continuous improvement in Florida schools.
High-Quality Instructional Materials
Action Plan: The Path to High-Quality Materials Selection in Florida Schools
If your charge is to select high-quality instructional materials that are a strategic fit for your students and community, this free online module is here to help. The Action Plan presented here will support you to implement a rigorous, equitable materials review and selection process that will set the stage for what matters most - having the tools to achieve your vision for student learning and success. This action plan can be used with all content areas.
Expanding Math Opportunities
Lunch and learn series
Increasing Underrepresented Student Participation in Advanced Mathematics Courses
Pasco County Schools
Increasing Access to Opportunities in Algebra I
School District of Indian River
Impact Florida's first Lunch and Learn Series features two of our Cadre members, Pasco County Schools and the School District of Indian River County. Each district will share insight into how they have approached expanding opportunities for students, especially from underserved populations, to take advanced mathematics courses. You will hear how these districts identified opportunity gaps in math courses, what they are doing to increase access to these courses, and how they plan to support students to be successful.
Case Studies: Five Conditions that Support Great Teaching
Cases for Impact
Impact Florida's Cases for Impact describe the high-impact practices of five Florida school districts that align with The Five Conditions that Support Great Teaching. Pasco County Schools focused on a shared vision; the School District of Palm Beach worked on high-quality instructional materials, the School District of Osceola County prioritized empowered leaders; Collier County Public Schools developed the effective use of data; and Miami-Dade Public Schools focused on effective professional learning.
Youth Participatory Evaluation
You+Lead Learning Cadre
Impact Florida's first student learning cadre centered on a unique model for student engagement. Youth Participatory Evaluation equips students to lead a structured process to provide data-driven, representative feedback to school leaders about the challenges students are facing. In this process, school leaders engage students who aren’t typically involved in school activities and build their capacity to collect and analyze data on school climate and culture. Then, the student leaders gather data and feedback from their peers and present their findings for school and district leaders to consider changes that would improve the school environment for all students. In the 2022-23 school year, four schools participated in the cadre to pilot Youth Participatory Evaluation:
- John I. Leonard High School in Palm Beach County
- Palm Beach Lakes High School in Palm Beach County
- Wiregrass Ranch High School in Pasco County
- Zephyrhills High School in Pasco County